Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara, has assured Nigerian teachers that the National Assembly will increase their retirement age from 60 to 65 years to retain more experienced teachers in public schools.

Speaking when he received a delegation from the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) who paid him a courtesy visit in his office, he said the House supports an upward review of teachers' retirement age for Nigerian children to benefit from.

"We have done it for the tertiary institutions and the judiciary, so nothing should stop us from taking the bull by the horns. They say that wine gets better with age, it was the same consideration that motivated us to raise that of university lecturers,raise that of judges.

"So this is something we can pursue. Thankfully, it doesn't require constitutional amendment, it is something we can achieve by amending the existing law. That is the responsibility of the parliament and we assure you that we will do something about that so that the benefit that comes with experience and wisdom will not be lost," he stated.

Dogara noted that the welfare and working condition of teachers must also be upgraded to enable Nigerian citizens compete with the global world and produce citizens that can achieve development that the country seeks.

"If we don't have people who will sacrifice their time and energy to impart knowledge on our children, then like I said, we have lost the future," he added.

The Speaker also advised the union to channel their request for salaries of teachers to be handed over to state governments or paid from first-line charge from the federation account through the Universal Basic Education Commission to the Constitution Review of the House of Representatives for consideration.

Earlier in his speech, the National President of NUT, Comrade Micheal Alogba Olukoya, appealed that the union prefers that in order to address the issue, "we want the responsibilities of paying the salaries of Teachers be handed over to State Governments in which case the salaries component of the revenue allocation of the Local Governments will have to be transferred to the states and restructure the fiscal allocation of our national resources in favour of the states to guarantee uninterrupted and unfettered primary education in Nigeria."

Additionally, the teachers union demanded that teachers' salaries be paid from first-line charge from the federation account through the Universal Basic Education Commission.

"We teachers of Nigeria in primary and secondary schools do seek and demand that our retirement age be raised to 65 years to increase the teacher retention rate in our schools. This will help to check the rate at which experienced teachers are being lost in the school system whereas younger and prospective teachers are not recruited to take their place," Comrade appealed.

Dogara also said that this government which is a government of change must be prepared to change the narrative by ensuring that teachers are motivated and the condition in which they work are conducive at all levels, so that they can deliver on their professional calling.

Former chairman of State Universal Basic Education Board in Bayelsa, Chief Benson Agadaga (M) assisted by his wife, Regina, receives from Comrade Lucky Emonefe, National President of Niger Delta Students, the award of “Niger Delta Personality of Inestimable Value and Role Model to the Niger Delta Youths”, in Yenegoa on Friday (11/5/17).
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Former military President, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (L) and former FCT Minister, retired AVM Hamza Abdullahi, at the marriage of Halima Babangida, second daughter and last child of the Babangida family, to Alhaji Auwal Abdullahi, a businessman who holds the traditional title of Sarkin Sudan Gombe, at the Hill Top in Minna on Friday (11/5/17).
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Former Minister of National Planning, Sen Sanusi Dagash (L) with former Minister of Education and Governor of Kano State, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, at the marriage of Halima Babangida, second daughter and last child of the Gen. Ibrahim Babangida’s family, to Alhaji Auwal Abdullahi, a businessman who holds the traditional title of Sarkin Sudan Gombe, at the Hill Top in Minna on Friday (11/5/17)

From left: Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger; APC chieftain, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; and Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, at the Minna Airport, for the wedding of Halima Babangida, second daughter and last child of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida’s family, to Alhaji Auwal Abdullahi, a businessman who holds the traditional title of Sarkin Sudan Gombe, on Friday (11/5/17).
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From left: Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger; Senate President bukola Saraki; Gov. Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara; and Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, at the Minna Airport, for the wedding of Halima Babangida, second daughter and last child of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida’s family, to Alhaji Auwal Abdullahi, a businessman who holds the traditional title of Sarkin Sudan Gombe, on Friday (11/5/17).
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From left: Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger; Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State; Gov. Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara; and Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, at the Minna Airport, for the wedding of Halima Babangida, second daughter and last child of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida’s family, to Alhaji Auwal Abdullahi, a businessman who holds the traditional title of Sarkin Sudan Gombe, on Friday (11/5/17).
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From Left: Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe; Amanyanabo of Opobo Kingdom, King Dandeson Douglas-Jaja and the Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Muhammad Bashar, at the 2017 National Security Summit in Abuja on Friday (12/5/17).
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Cross section of traditional leaders, at the 2017 National Security Summit in Abuja on Friday (12/5/17).
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From left: Chairman, State Publicity Secretaries Forum, All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Joe Igbokwe; National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi; Country Director, International Republican Institute (IRI), Mr Sentell Barnes and other participants during a Communication Workshop for APC State Publicity Secretaries, in Abuja on Friday (12/5/17).
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From left: President, Supreme Subordination (SS), Knights of St. John International, Ghana, Mr Samuel Kofi; President of SS, Knights of St. John International, Nigeria, Mr Anselm Okafor; and President SS, Lady Auxiliary, Sister Viola Onwuliri, during the 6th West African Summit of Knights of St. John International, in Abuja on Friday (12/5/17).
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A cross-section of participants during the 6th West African Summit of Knights of St. John International, in Abuja on Friday (12/5/17).
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From left: Past President, Supreme Subordination (SS), Knights of St. John International, Ghana, Mr John Biney; Judge Advocate, Abuja Grand Command, Knights of St. John International, Mr Chris Okpala; and President, Supreme Subordination (SS), Knights of St. John International, Ghana, Mr Samuel Kofi, during the 6th West African Summit of Knights of St. John International, in Abuja on Friday (12/5/17).
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The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye (R) with Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau during a special prayer for the Governor and the State Government, in Jos on Friday(11/5/17).
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Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau (R) and Speaker, Plateau House of Assembly, Peter Azi, responding to prayers offered by the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye during a special prayer for the Governor and the State Government, in Jos on Friday(11/5/17).
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Federal Commissioner for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from the North-East, Hajia Sadiya Farouq (L), presents a certificate to Zainab Mustapha, during the graduation ceremony of NTA College’s Capacity Building and Youth Empowerment Programme for (IDPs) from the North-East, on Camera Operation Techniques, in Jos on Friday (12/5/17).
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Federal Commissioner for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from the North-East, Hajia Sadiya Farouq (L) with the representative of the Director-General of NTA, Dr Steve Egbo, during the graduation ceremony of NTA College’s Capacity Building and Youth Empowerment Programme for IDPs from the North East, on Camera Operation Techniques, in Jos on Friday (12/5/17).
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A cross-section of course participants in NTA College’s Capacity Building and Youth Empowerment Programme for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from the North-East, on Camera Operation Techniques, during their graduation ceremony in Jos on Friday (12/5/2017).
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From left: Former First Ladies, Hajia Turai YarÁdua, Justice Fati Abubakar and Dame Patience Jonathan, at the marriage of Halima Babangida, last daughter of former Military President Ibrahim Babangida in Minna on Friday (12/5/17).
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From left: APC stalwart Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; former President Goodluck Jonathan; former Military President Ibrahim Babangida; Senate President Bukola Saraki; Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakuba Dogara; and former Vice President Namadi Sambo, at the marriage of Halima Babangida, last daughter of former Military President Ibrahim Babangida in Minna on Friday (12/5/17).
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Halima, the second daughter and last child in Gen. Ibrahim Babangida’s family (R) and her husband, Alhaji Auwal Abdullahi, a businessman, during their wedding in Minna on Friday (11/5/17).
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From left: Former First Lady, Justice Fati Abubakar; the bride, Halima; groom, Alhaji Auwal Abdullahi’ and wife of a former Vice President, Hajia Amina Sambo, at the wedding of the second daughter and last child in Gen. Ibrahim Babangida’s family, in Minna on Friday (11/5/17).
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Sitting from left: Sen. Godswill Akpabio, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar and standing from left: brother of the bride, Mohammed Babangida; a guest; the bride, Halima and her husband, Alhaji Auwal Abdullahi, at the wedding of the second daughter and last child in Gen. Ibrahim Babangida’s family, in Minna on Friday (11/5/17).
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